RESEARCH TRAINING AND RESOURCES CORE PROJECT SUMMARY The Research Training and Resources Core (RTRC) of the Maine INBRE (ME-INBRE) will oversee and coordinate management of both the research training programs and core facilities developed by ME-INBRE, so as to maximize the efficacy and efficiency of research resource usage in ME-INBRE programs. To that end the RTRC has three specific aims. The first is to manage and facilitate access to resources that support biomedical research and research training throughout the ME-INBRE. The RTRC will maintain and coordinate the use of Core Facilities (DNA Sequencing, Gene Expression Analysis, Biological Imaging, and Animal Support) required for ME-INBRE research and research training. The RTRC will participate in Core Laboratory networks (NICL, VGN, and NERLSCD) in order to connect ME-INBRE investigators with additional resources. The RTRC will also provide the following support services: Training for faculty and students utilizing these research resources; Small Grants awarded to faculty, postdoctoral fellows, and advanced graduate students at Maine institutions to utilize core facility resources in the Northeast IDeA Region; and an Instrument Exchange Program, where ME-INBRE institutions loan or donate research equipment to other ME-INBRE institutions. The second aim is to offer research training experiences for undergraduates with pathways to graduate education in biomedical research and other biomedical careers. This will be accomplished through ME-INBRE Short Courses and Research Fellowships that provide undergraduate students with research experiences. The RTRC will run a Seminar Series that will be made available to Maine IDeA (INBRE, COBRE, and CTR) institutions, exposing students and faculty to a diverse array of biomedical research. Student and faculty research will be shared at the annual Maine Biological and Medical Sciences Symposium (MBMSS) in the spring and at an annual Student Research Symposium in the summer. The third aim is to increase collaboration with research training partners in Maine and the Northeast IDeA region. The RTRC will collaborate with Maine Science Education Partnership Award (SEPA) projects, implement an undergraduate Summer Research Fellowship Exchange within the Northeast IDeA Region, and provide enhanced support for the University of Maine's Graduate School of Biomedical Science and Engineering (GSBSE) to both facilitate graduate student participation in research and training opportunities and recruit outstanding graduate students from Maine undergraduate institutions. In summary the RTRC will provide core facilities and technology to enable faculty research, provide undergraduates training in cutting-edge laboratory technologies and skills, and ensure that use of research resources is maximized to meet the needs of ME-INBRE research and training programs.